Change My Mind ~ Criminal Minds (Aaron Hotchner x OC)

112.0: Learning To Walk Again

A/N: Continuation of 8x13 Magnum Opus

TRIGGER WARNINGS: D*ATH, BLOOD, TORTURE, MENTION OF S*ICIDE (WHOLE CHAPTER IS TRIGGER WARNING)

 "At the same time I was exhilarated by the seriousness of my pain, like it might change my life in an unforeseen way."
― Sally Rooney

Crystal cringed at the smell of takeout, and Blake moved further away from her. "Not sitting well?" She sighed and looked down at her stomach, "Blueberry hates anything with oil." JJ smiled and moved some of the food away, "It gets better, but that doesn't mean the cravings for oily things do." That was the absolute truth, her cravings were all over the place. Hotch walked towards her with apple slices and peanut butter, and she perked up. "I love you." He chuckled and set them down in front of her, "Yes, because I cut you apple slices."

"With peanut butter." She reminded him and ate a slice, this made her relax as she focused on the teams findings. "So vampirism is written out?" Morgan had gotten more information from the morgue, and EDTA was found in the victim's blood. There was also ketamine, and that was most likely how the unsub was subduing the victims. If they were to drink the blood, their system would be filled with the same chemicals. That ruled out vampirism, but that didn't solve their biggest question. What was the unsub doing with the blood? 

"It is." Hotch answered and Morgan walked in with his drink, "I also found that there's no medical training from our unsub. There's no training, and there's no pattern to how our victims are picked. That leaves us with an unsub that is completely sporadic." Crystal ate her apples slowly so she didn't upset her stomach at the talks of blood, and an officer was quick to rush in. "Agents, we've got another victim at a park. Same M.O." Hotch looked at the team, "Me and Blake will head out to the crime scene, the rest of you can try to figure out any connections there might be with the new information given to us. It's been barely a day since his last killing, he's evolving rapidly."

The team nodded and Rossi sipped his coffee, "This is his first daytime dropping, he's getting cocky." 

"Or desperate." JJ offered, "Maybe he's getting impatient?" That was a good theory, but that's all they had right now. Theories. Without any solid evidence to build upon, they were stuck. Crystal was trying to piece together the crime scenes on the board when Hotch and Blake returned, "We're ready to give the profile." Hotch told them and Crystal blinked at him, "Profile? What profile? We don't know what he's doing with the blood?"

"I have a theory, and....this proves me right." Blake told her and she took a photo from one of the previous crime scenes. "Reid said that the line of sight was important, and it seems he was right." Crystal was still confused, but listened as Blake explained her theory. JJ cringed once she was done, "You think he sees himself as a painter?" Blake nodded, "It fits with the other victims, it's what ties them together. They're all linked by art." That was true from what Garcia confirmed, so it looks like they did have their profile after all.

We just didn't realize it.

Once the officers were gathered, Hotch got them started. "We believe that this unsub is a white male in his 20s or 30s, and he thinks of himself as a painter or an artist." Blake nodded, "The placement of the victims tells us a lot about who he is." JJ pointed to one of the victim's photos, "Pamela Hurd was found near a painting done by little known San Francisco artist Henry Floyd." Morgan took a sip of his coffee, "Gary Porter was posed near a piece of graffiti art by a street artist named Cypher, who is currently wanted by the police."

"The third victim, Lynn Stevens, was found near a mural painted by inner city youths." Hotch continued and Blake motioned to the photos that had been given to the officers, "Finally, Aimee Fortner was placed near the stature of Saint Luke, patron Saint of the artist." JJ crossed her arms, "This is compulsion, it's not accidental."